Immediately after, it was Cang Li's turn to challenge. His face remained calm and unreadable, betraying no hint of nervousness or tension. At this point, only by defeating the sixth robot could he surpass Na Jia.
Defeating the seventh robot would only result in a tie. However, the seventh robot's strength was already in the mid-Mahayana stage.
The sixth robot approached the late Mahayana stage.
Cang Li himself was only in the late Tribulation stage. He still had a chance, but only if he could dodge the attacks of Mahayana-level robots while observing their techniques to find their weaknesses. His strength was too low, and this disparity would inevitably have consequences in this round.
Cang Li faced this dilemma.
Yun Jin did as well.
Na Jia glanced at Yun Jin.
Yun Jin's advantage in the first round had been overwhelming. She was still in first place, and her entry into the final stage seemed almost guaranteed.
Na Jia felt a slight twinge of regret. Had Yun Jin not held such a commanding lead in the first round, Na Jia might have lost in this round. However, there was still the final stage to come, and her chances were not zero.
"I choose the seventh robot," Cang Li declared.
Seventh robot, strength: mid-Mahayana!
If he could pass, his points would match Na Jia's.
The seventh robot quickly appeared in the arena.
Cang Li remained silent, summoning a silver-white sword in his hand. This sword had been forged by himself, so he was permitted to use it on the arena.
Yun Jin focused on the arena. If it were up to her, she hoped Cang Li could enter the top three. Senior Brother Cang Li was exceptionally talented. His only weakness lay in raw strength. He was still too young. A late Tribulation stage cultivator at his age was considered a prodigy, yet still short of true peak mastery.
"You seem worried about him," Di Xiao said mockingly.
Yun Jin looked at him sincerely. "Don't worry, Senior Di. When it's your turn, I'll remember to be concerned for you as well."
Di Xiao snorted coldly. "I need your concern? After this round, my trial points will surpass yours."
"Yes, yes," Yun Jin replied perfunctorily.
Di Xiao was dissatisfied with her attitude, but he kept his anger to himself. He had been trailing Yun Jin ever since entering this trial space. This round would be his best opportunity to overtake her.
As the countdown ended, the seventh robot launched its attack first.
A full-rank gap separated them.
The only consolation was that the robot had no soul realm—it relied purely on brute force. In reality, facing a Mahayana-level opponent, the pressure of their soul alone would be almost impossible to withstand.
Cang Li braced himself, employing various techniques, and finally blocked part of the robot's path with his sword, barely dodging the first strike.
But the second strike came immediately afterward. A stronger opponent would have dodged with ease, gaining time to observe. Cang Li's strength was too low; each evasion was a struggle, and he constantly teetered on the edge of elimination.
In this state, trying to observe the technique and find its weaknesses was exceedingly difficult.
The situation looked grim, yet Cang Li's gaze remained calm. He seemed naturally devoid of nervousness, making every decision as precise as possible.
"Found it."
Soon, Cang Li applied the Yin-Yang Law according to his observations, pressing with force at his brow. Here was the first weak point of the robot.
A small red glow appeared at his brow, indicating the weak point had been located, yet the robot continued its movements.
This round had more than one weak point. Amidst the storm of attacks, Cang Li struggled to maintain his stance.
The number of weak points was unknown. Each weak point required a precise method to activate—simply pressing would not suffice. The correct law alignment had to be applied for the red glow to confirm its discovery.
Two points.
Three points.
Cang Li identified two more critical points, but he was already heavily injured. He had tried to protect his vital areas, but the strength gap was too great. Even a light brush could inflict serious harm.
The damage accumulated steadily. By the end, his body had reached its limit. His gaze wandered, held up only by sheer willpower.
According to Na Jia's experience, the seventh robot should have four weak points in total.
There was still one more… where could it be?
Cang Li watched every movement of the robot, entirely absorbed in his focus.
Suddenly, he saw it.
His eyes lit up with determination.
He seemed to have found the final weak point…
Cang Li reached out to touch it. But his injuries were too severe. His spiritual power was depleted, unable to activate the last point.
Still, he had found it.
A satisfied smile appeared on Cang Li's face as he collapsed heavily onto the arena.
The robot's actions halted immediately.
[Cang Li has lost consciousness. Challenge concluded.]
In the next moment, he was transported outside the arena.
Yun Jin rushed to his side, quickly checking on him. She exhaled in relief. Fortunately, the robot had measured its strikes. Cang Li had lost consciousness from exhaustion, not from critical injury.
Yun Jin immediately fed him a few pills. After she helped him digest the medicine with spiritual power, the robot finally announced:
"Cang Li cannot enter the top three. This trial concludes."
Cang Li then disappeared from the trial space.
Kunlun Sword Sect.
In a bamboo hut, Cang Li slowly opened his eyes. He was dazed for a moment before realizing he had failed the challenge and exited the trial space. His injuries had mostly healed. Slowly, he sat up. Residual medicinal power remained in his body. Cang Li knew his Junior Sister had fed him pills.
A faint smile appeared on his cold face. The next moment, he began meditating in the lotus position. Though he had exhausted his energy, he had found the final weak point.
This meant…
He had completely understood the technique the robot had been practicing.
Cang Li's heart felt a flash of clarity. This round was both a test and a lesson. These robots taught the techniques in the most direct way. This technique would aid him in truly walking the path of Yin-Yang cultivation. He had gained much from this trial.
Yun Jin and Senior Brother Di, still in the trial space, likely gained even more.
Only Na Jia…
A trace of cold light flashed in Cang Li's eyes. When the demon clan gains opportunity, it spells misfortune for humanity. If there is a chance, this demon should be eliminated first.
Inside the trial space, only three remained:
Yun Jin, Di Xiao, and Na Jia.
These three were destined to enter the final round.
But the trial was not yet over.
"Next challenger: Di Xiao."